Caring for Your Newborn

Having a newborn is such a wonderful and exciting time, but you might also be feeling a little nervous and have questions about how to best care for your little one. Our skilled and caring pediatric providers are here to help. The experienced doctors and nurses at Mid Kansas Pediatric Associates in East Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby, KS, provide newborn care and other services to help you navigate life with your new baby.

Newborn Checkups

One step you can take to care for your newborn is to schedule regular checkups with a pediatrician. These appointments allow the doctor to monitor the overall health, growth, and development of your little one and ensure certain milestones are being reached. Regular checkups are also a great way to keep your child up to date with vaccinations and immunizations.

Newborns need to see their pediatrician more frequently than older children. Babies born at the hospital will be seen by a pediatric provider within 24 hours of birth and will continue to see the doctor everyday until discharge. Newborns should also have a checkup at the pediatrician’s office within 3 to 5 days after coming home from the hospital.

Your baby will need to continue seeing the doctor every few weeks or months following that first appointment at the pediatric office. The American Academy of pediatrics (AAP) recommends babies have checkups at the following ages: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 months. Starting at age 2, kids only need to see the pediatrician for a checkup once a year.

Newborn Care

In addition to monitoring health, growth, and development, another important reason for scheduling regular checkups for your child is the opportunity to ask the doctor questions about how to best care for your little one. The providers at our pediatric offices in East Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby, KS, provide newborn care guidance and can answer questions about feeding schedules, breastfeeding, sleeping patterns, bathing, car seats, immunizations, and more.

Caring for your newborn can seem intimidating at first, but we are here to help. Call any one of our three offices anytime you have questions or concerns. Call us right away if your newborn experiences any of the following issues:

• Fever of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Red rash all over the body
• Unresponsive or extremely sleepy
• Will not stop crying and cannot be consoled
• Signs of infection around the umbilical cord site
• Swollen stomach
• Refusal to eat
• Watery stools

We are here to help you care for your newborn by answering your questions and providing guidance in various areas. Schedule an appointment with one of our kind and knowledgeable pediatricians to learn more about newborn care by contacting Mid Kansas Pediatric Associates in East Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby, KS. Call (316) 634-2000 for East Wichita, (316) 773-3100 for West Wichita, or (316) 719-2001 for Derby.